Dunn Jr. Named 2019-20 PSAC Wrestling Athlete of the Year; All-Conference Teams Released
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- Kutztown junior Andrew Dunn Jr. was voted the 2019-20 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Wrestling Athlete of the Year, the league announced Thursday afternoon in conjunction with the release of the all-conference wrestling teams.
All-conference teams and major award winners are decided by a vote of the league’s head coaches.
Dunn Jr. is the second Golden Bear to accomplish the feat (Ziad Haddad, 2014) and is one of four Kutztown wrestlers to register an unbeaten season in school history after finishing the 2019-20 campaign with a 20-0 record. The junior is the defending national champion at heavyweight and has posted a 46-2 record in two years with Kutztown, including 46-0 against NCAA DII wrestlers. Dunn Jr. is sporting a 38-match winning streak dating back to Jan. 5, 2019. He finished the season ranked No. 1 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Rankings. He accumulated five major decisions, four pins and a tech fall and has won the NCAA DII Super Region I championship in consecutive seasons.
Pitt-Johnstown’s Jacob Ealy was voted Freshman of the Year and is the third Mountain Cat to garner the award. It marks the second consecutive season that Pitt-Johnstown has represented the winner (Brock Biddle). Ealy is one of three PSAC freshmen to receive all-conference recognition this season. He claimed the Super Region I championship in the 141-pound weight class. Overall, Ealy accumulated 19 wins while sporting a 14-9 mark in dual meets.
Pitt-Johnstown’s Pat Pecora was tabbed Coach of the Year for the second time in his illustrious career (2015-16). He paced the Mountain Cats to at least a share of their fifth consecutive PSAC Dual Meet Championship after posting a 7-0 record in league action. On Feb. 7, he became the winningest coach in all levels of collegiate wrestling after notching his 617th victory. He was named the NCAA DII Regional Coach of the year for the 19th time after leading Pitt-Johnstown to its 23rd regional title. Under his direction, eight Mountain Cats received all-conference recognition, including three individuals on the first team.
A full list of honorees is below.
PSAC Wrestling Major Award Winners
Athlete of the Year: Andrew Dunn Jr., Kutztown
Freshman of the Year: Jacob Ealy, Pitt-Johnstown
Coach of the Year: Pat Pecora, Pitt-Johnstown
PSAC WRESTLING FIRST-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
| Wt. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| 125 |
Brendan Howard |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Sr. |
Uniontown, Pa. / Jefferson-Morgan |
| 133 |
Collin Wickramaratna |
Kutztown |
So. |
Malton, N.J. / Cherokee |
| 141 |
Jacob Ealy |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Fr. |
Aliquippa, Pa. / Hopewell |
| 149 |
Chris Eddins |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Sr. |
Greensburg, Pa. / Greensburg Salem |
| 157 |
Evan Fisler |
Gannon |
So. |
Sewell, N.J. / Washington Township |
| 165 |
Logan Grass |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
Culloden, W.Va. / Huntington |
| 174 |
Mike Raccioppi |
East Stroudsburg |
Sr. |
Middletown, N.Y. / Minisink Valley |
| 184 |
Elliott Riddick |
East Stroudsburg |
Sr. |
Bethlehem, Pa. / Bethlehem Catholic |
| 197 |
Luke McGonigal |
Mercyhurst |
So. |
Frenchville, Pa. / Clearfield |
| 285 |
Andrew Dunn Jr. |
Kutztown |
Jr. |
Bethlehem, Pa. / Bethlehem Catholic |
PSAC WRESTLING SECOND-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
| Wt. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| 125 |
Jacob Dunlop |
Gannon |
Jr. |
Belle Vernon, Pa. / Belle Vernon |
| 133 |
Eric Bartos |
Mercyhurst |
So. |
Valley City, Ohio / Buckeye |
| 141 |
Alexis Soriano |
Mercyhurst |
Jr. |
Perth Amboy, N.J. / Perth Amboy |
| 149 |
Dom Means |
Gannon |
So. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Central Catholic |
| 157 |
Nate Smith |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Fr. |
Murrysville, Pa. / Franklin Regional |
| 165 |
Alex Farenchak |
Gannon |
Fr. |
Painesville, Ohio / Riverside |
| 174 |
Brock Biddle |
Pitt-Johnstown |
So. |
Martinsburg, Pa. / Central Martinsburg |
| 184 |
Connor Craig |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Jr. |
Cincinnati, Ohio / Wheeling Jesuit) |
| 197 |
Freddie Nixon |
Gannon |
Jr. |
Buffalo, N.Y. / St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute |
| 285 |
Jacob Robb |
Mercyhurst |
Jr. |
Kittanning, Pa. / Armstrong |
PSAC WRESTLING THIRD-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
| Wt. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| 125 |
Frank Bonura |
Seton Hill |
So. |
Corapolis, Pa. / Wheeling University |
| 133 |
Vincent Distefanis |
Seton Hill |
So. |
Manor, Pa. / Hempfield |
| 141 |
Ryan McGuire |
Millersville |
So. |
Bethlehem, Pa. / Notre Dame |
| 149 |
Austin Shaw |
Seton Hill |
Sr. |
Greensburg, Pa. / Buffalo |
| 157 |
Michael Clark |
Mercyhurst |
So. |
Medina, Ohio / Buckeye |
| 165 |
Devin Austin |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Sr. |
Irwin, Pa. / Penn Trafford |
| 174 |
Luigi Yates |
Gannon |
Fr. |
Erie, Pa. / Cathedral Prep |
| 184 |
Joel Leise |
Gannon |
So. |
Transfer, Pa. / Reynolds |
| 197 |
Billy Bowlen |
Seton Hill |
Jr. |
Crucible, Pa. / Carmichaels |
| 285 |
Allan Beattie |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Jr. |
New Kensington, Pa. / Burrell |